The Cuban macaw (Ara tricolor), a species of parrot, became extinct in the late 19th century. Native to the main island of Cuba and the nearby Isla de la Juventud, this macaw had some similarities to the scarlet macaw. No modern skeletons are known, but a few subfossil remains have been found on Cuba. At about 45–50 centimetres (18–20 in) long, it was one of the smallest macaws. It had a red, orange, yellow, and white head, and a red, orange, green, brown, and blue body. It was reported to nest in hollow trees, live in pairs or families, and feed on seeds and fruits. It was mainly seen in the vast Zapata Swamp, where it inhabited open terrain with scattered trees. The Cuban macaw was traded and hunted by Amerindians, and by Europeans after their arrival in the 15th century. The birds were brought to Europe as cagebirds, and 19 museum skins exist today. The species had become rare by the mid-19th century due to hunting, trade, and habitat destruction.

Read more: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuban_macaw

_______________________________ Today's selected anniversaries:

1862:

American Civil War: Union General Ulysses S. Grant issued General Order No. 11, expelling Jews from Tennessee, Mississippi, and Kentucky. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Order_No._11_%281862%29

1918:

About 1,000 demonstrators marched on Government House in Darwin, Australia, where they burnt an effigy of Administrator John Gilruth and demanded his resignation. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darwin_rebellion

1948:

The Finnish Security Police was established to remove communist leadership from its predecessor, the State Police. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Finnish_Security_Intelligence_Service

1970:

Soldiers fired at workers emerging from trains in Gdynia, Poland, beginning the government's brutal crackdown on mass anti- communist protests across the country. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1970_Polish_protests

_____________________________ Wiktionary's word of the day:

kiss someone's ring: (idiomatic) To give respect or reverence to someone; to express servitude to someone. https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/kiss_someone%27s_ring

___________________________ Wikiquote quote of the day:

God is the light that illuminates the darkness, even if it does not dissolve it, and a spark of divine light is within each of us … our species will end but the light of God will not end and at that point it will invade all souls and it will all be in everyone.   --Pope Francis https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Pope_Francis